Office Politics
by penns
Summary: Her unnervingly meek personality struck a foreign nerve with him. Being jealous and sexually threatened was never his style--and it never makes for a good working environment. But sometimes, the work follows you home.


**Office Politics**

Summary: In the Black Order Advertising Agency, he's the genius photographer and she's the graphic designer. Behind the scenes, there's always more amidst the rival companies, workplace protocols, and passive-aggressive notes—and sometimes, the work follows you home.

Disclaimer: I do not own DGM.

Chapter One

* * *

From: Komui Lee ( leebunny at black-order . org )  
To: Yuu Kanda ( mugen at black-order . org )  
CC: Miranda Lotto ( timerecord at black-order . org )  
Message Status: Urgent!  
Subject: Meeting

Hey guys,

I know this is late notice, but be at the meeting room adjacent to my office (aka Meeting Room B :D ) at noon today. It's about your new assignments.

Sorry to just spring it up on you!

(),,,()  
(^o^) Komui

P.S.: 'Spring it up on you,' get it? That's a bunny.

* * *

It was with an ill-disguised growl that Kanda returned his hand on the table after checking the time. The blunt rhythmic sound his trimmed nails made against the glass top of the heavy wooden table did little to soothe the twenty-year-old man.

He had been called in for an "urgent" meeting regarding his new assignment only to find he was the only one actually on time. Reever Wenham – Research and Development Supervisor, and acting assistant-slash-mother to Komui – was already in the room looking over the meeting's agenda and gave him a small greeting when he entered.

Not too late after him, the door swung open once again with a hushed glide, allowing a rather frazzled-looking brunette through. Almost out of instinct, he cast her a passive glare and mentally noted that she must be the Miranda Lotto who had been sent a carbon copy of the e-mail notice. He looked briefly at his watch.

She was exactly three minutes and twelve seconds late. After Reever's initial greeting, the three sat in a silence that Kanda readily welcomed. Not being the social type, he reveled in the unobtrusive woman's failure to attempt and create small talk (unlike so many of her kind).

Kanda's fingers continued to drum impatiently.

Komui Lee, Supervisor and his team's Creative Director, breezily strode in almost eight minutes later.

"Glad to see everyone here!" he greeted breezily as he adjusted the beret he insisted on wearing to work.

Kanda felt a facial muscle twitch, and was distracted from calling out Komui's chronic tardiness by a lively agenda handed to him by Reever. The white sheets of paper had been decorated with multicolored highlighted lines in order of importance.

"The reason I called you two in for this project is because this is for a high-profile client," Komui began. "It's for his brand new clothing line, with the launch date projected in the early spring. If you'll take a look at the complimentary supplementary booklet Reever put together—oh!"

The Chinese man clapped his hands in front of him, as though he'd remembered something. "Allen Walker is going to be our Account Executive for this project."

"So why is Reever giving us the client info and not the moyashi himself?" It was a poorly-kept office secret that Kanda Yuu abhorred Allen Walker's guts, and that the feeling is mutual.

"Ah, well, you know," Komui waved a carefree hand. "Allen's been swamped lately but this should be the only meeting he'll miss. Besides, the client approached Reever himself."

His supervisor's voice began to fade into the background as Kanda began leafing through the supplementary packet Reever had supplied. Kanda mentally appreciated the R&D head's thorough report on the pop culture influences of the fashion line.

"In fact," Komui's voice made a beeline for the forefront of his attention. "The designer specifically asked for _you_ to photograph the shoots."

"And since his consumer target is the more fashion-forward," Reever spoke up. "We're going to go for banners and posters with heavy graphics—this is where you come in, Miranda."

Kanda had almost forgotten she was there at all.

Komui gave a few small pointers and a haphazard closing statement before dismissing the two, vaguely suggesting they take up lunch to better their acquaintance.

The brunette gave a small smile and said she'll do her best, but Kanda noticed the ghost of the pressure in her eyes. His slanted eyes narrowed even more.

"I have no intention of babysitting a full-grown woman," he said curtly. "Do your part and don't get in my way, and this project won't be hell for you."

* * *

It had not been an easy day.

After missing lunch for Komui's impromptu meeting, Miranda found herself behind her Japanese colleague as he marched towards the Accounts wing – towards Allen's office, no doubt. Had she known they were heading the same direction, she would have asked him to deliver Allen's supplementary packet, but her throat refused to function under his cold glare.

She risked an upwards glance at the man, absently noting the contrast his rigid shoulders made against the fluid motion of his ponytail. It was no secret that Kanda Yuu was the Black Order's genius photographer, whose talent landed him a glamorous celebrity photoshoot at the age of eighteen which only propelled his career upwards.

Miranda felt the first pangs of self-pity. Here she was, seven years his senior and unable to ask him the simple favor of letting their other teammate up to speed. But the Black Order Advertising Agency had been her first steady employment since she graduated from college six years ago—and she'd be _damned_ if she screwed this project up and got fired. In the two years since she joined, her coworkers have turned into her family and she wasn't excited by the prospect of leaving them.

Without any precursor, something very solid hit Miranda. "Why are you following me?"

"I—I'm sorry!" She looked up to meet the scathing eyes of Kanda. "Y—you see, I—I was going to give Allen the packet…"

"Tch," Kanda turned and resumed walking.

Miranda bit her lip. It wasn't like she expected him to offer to give Allen the client information, but it would have been nice, she figured. That way, at least, she could have grabbed some lunch.

From Komui's office to the Accounts wing, the pair had to pass through the Productions section and something must have caught his attention, because he abruptly turned and stalked towards a new destination. With a little hesitation, Miranda followed his gaze to the brightly-colored notes posted on what she assumed to be his office door.

* * *

The days when Kanda Yuu didn't feel like punching someone's face in were becoming far and few in between. And it was on this particular day that he felt an unshakeable motivation to do so to one Allen Walker.

He glared at the offending Post-It on his black lacquer door.

_Kanda—_

_Next time you throw a hissy fit about your proofs 'taking forever,' the rest of the staff and I would appreciate it greatly if you were actually __in your office__ when they _do_ come in so you can sign for them._

And right under, this time in a neon orange, was Lavi griping about Kanda missing lunch 'again' in a messy scrawl. But he decided to ignore that and instead focus his anger to the white-haired Accounts Executive.

It was with renewed purpose that Kanda took long, angry strides towards the direction of Allen's and Lenalee's shared office and glared hatefully at the empty desks.

Quietly, the brunette who had followed him set the packet on Allen's table and left a post-it notifying him of its purpose.

_She seems satisfied enough with herself_, Kanda mused as he watched Miranda draw in a little happy face on the corner of the bright yellow sheet. She looked up at him, almost questioningly, and Kanda put his passive face on.

Eyes narrowed and lips curled into a frown, he took a sheet from the printer and left a note for Allen in permanent marker before leading himself and the girl out.

_Moyashi—_

_Stop leaving notes. It's a cowardly way to communicate, and you're only publicizing how bitchy you can be._

Kanda didn't miss the quiet, incredulous giggle his new partner made.

* * *

A/N: Wooo! My first DGM fic! It'll be more romantic later, I promise. Maybe, I'm not sure how well I can pull off romance, but I sure as hell will try. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of it!


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